Ogretta Joy Witzl

Ogretta Joy was born in Beggs, Oklahoma to Bruce and Rebecca Powell. She was the 6th child to be born to that couple. She was preceded in death by Maia Cory Witzl, her daughter, David the oldest brother killed in Vietnam and by sister Carolyn Watson of Tulsa Oklahoma. She is survived by her husband of 49 years, Bob; siblings: Violet Green of Oklahoma City, Shirley Thomas of Florissant Missouri, Cleta Driver of Tulsa Oklahoma, and Christoper Powell of Houston Texas as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and great nieces and nephews.

Joy graduated from Beggs High School and Langston University. She was a proud legacy of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority as were all of her sisters. She moved to St. Louis and began teaching at Normandy High School where she met her husband, Bob. They were married August 21, 1976 and their daughter Maia was born in 1977. Joy stopped teaching for two years while raising Maia and then went back to Normandy to teach English.

Joy and Bob moved to Arlington Texas when his job moved them there. Joy spent her time at The Oakridge School volunteering and had a short stint as a property manager for a real estate company.

Maia was killed by a drunk driver in September of 1996 while attending Wake Forest. This was by far the most devastating thing that had ever happened to Joy. She carried this loss until her passing this year.

Joy then moved to Incline Village Nevada with Bob. After about 2 years they were transferred back to Tulsa where Joy began teaching again. Then they moved to Bartlett Tennessee and Joy taught there also. Joy and Bob moved to Houston in 2004, and Joy finished out her last 17 years of teaching at the Elsik 9th Grade Center.

Her greatest Joy was her daughter Maia and she was a consummate professional everywhere she was in a classroom.

A Memorial Service of Remembrance will be held at The Settegast-Kopf Co at Sugar Creek, in The Morrow Chapel, located at 15015 Southwest Fwy., Sugar Land, TX. The service is scheduled for February 21, 2026, starting at 11:00 am.